By: Dale King
The city of Boca Raton has hired Michael Kalvort as the new Recreation Services Director, succeeding former Director Mickey Gomez, who retired late last year after 33 years of service to the community.
Kalvort inherited the duties of managing and supervising the city’s 46 parks, two miles of public beaches and about 800 department employees. The Recreation Services Department also manages the city’s beautification and irrigation division, two libraries, two golf courses, tennis, aquatics, athletic programs and fields, community center programs, classes and special events.
Michael Kalvort is the new Recreation Services Director in Boca Raton, succeeding former Director Mickey Gomez, who retired at the end of 2017. (Courtesy City of Boca Raton)
No stranger to Florida, Kalvort began his career in Broward County and has also worked on the west coast of the state.
“Although I’ve had the opportunity to work in different parts of the country, much of my career has been spent along the Florida coast, both east and west,” he said. “The region is not only beautiful, but familiar to me, so I look forward to making Boca Raton my new home and working collaboratively with our citizens, volunteers and elected officials.”
With several major waterfront parks undergoing renovation within the next few years, Kalvort joins the Recreation Services Department during a time of growth and change.
“Michael brings tremendous experience in operations and project planning,” noted Assistant City Manager Mike Woika. “Projects including the Waterfront Master Plan, Hillsboro-El Rio Park, Lake Wyman Park and Red Reef Park are all in the planning and development stages, and Michael’s expertise will be a great asset as those projects are designed and come to fruition. It’s part of an exciting new chapter for Recreation Services.”
Having most recently served as Parks and Recreation Director for Virginia Beach, Va., Kalvort brings 25 years of industry experience to the role.
As past chair of the National Recreation and Park Association’s Revenue Development and Management School and outgoing chair of NRPA’s Leadership Development and Administrator’s Network, Kalvort remains active in NPRA and brings experience, leadership and vision to the department director role.
The new P&R chief holds a master’s degree in public administration from Nova Southeastern University,
Consistently ranked as one of America’s best cities in which to live, work, learn and play, Boca Raton has earned the designation as “the city within a park.”
For more information about the Recreation Services Department, visit www.myboca.us or call 561-393-7810. Park hours, permits, class and athletic registration information can be found in the Department’s Recreator magazine, which is also available on the city’s website.